After The Oval Office
by GoddessofSnark
Summary: After the Bartlet administration, CJ gets another chance with Danny.
1. Default Chapter

Jeannette

Iluvg33ks@imabadlittlegirl.com

After The Oval Office

CJ/Danny

Two years after the Bartlet administration is up, CJ gets another chance with Danny. 

None of these are mine. They're all Aaron Sorkin's. 

Archive anywhere, just tell me

*****

"Yes, it's right on schedule, no news of what's wrong with Mr. Goodman, but we were ahead of schedule anyways, and we can work things around him." She sighed as she hung up the phone. She got up and walked around the cramped office. She looked at the small fishbowl "Hey Gina." She smiled at the goldfish. She had grown so used to having a fish in her office that even once Gail had died, she had bought a successor for her. But the fishbowl was a painful memory for her. A memory of the past that she had left behind, on another coast. 

Even though it had been two years since she had been in the white house, she still missed it. Even with her new job keeping her occupied, she still went to do a press briefing occasionally, still went to call her assistant Carol rather than Stephanie, still expected to see Sam, or Toby, or even-she had trouble even thinking the name-Danny, peeking in to her office. She loved her new job though, and found it to be much less taxing on her, both physically and mentally. The hours were nearly totally steady, and she wasn't required to research for a briefing every single day. She also didn't have to worry about having the news of the free world relying on her. 

But as much as she loved being the head of PR for a movie production studio back in Hollywood, she missed the white house. She missed bantering with the press corps. She missed the constant hustle and bustle, and most of all, she missed Danny. She had a chance with him now; she had had one over the last few weeks of the Bartlet administration. He had even asked her. But for reasons that she couldn't comprehend, she had turned him down. And every morning she kicked herself for it. The phone on her desk rang, and she sighed and picked it up, collapsing into the chair behind her desk once again. "CJ Cregg, Cosmic Nation productions, how many I help you?" She felt like a goddamned secretary. Even though her secretary had the same spiel, she still had to say the same thing when she had to pick up.

"CJ, can you do a conference today? We've had 30+ reporters call wanting to know what's happening to john, and when this stupid film's going to be released." Her boss, the founding producer of Cosmic Nation, Robert Gleason sounded on edge. 

"What do you want me to say?" 

"Whatever you want, you're the PR chick, do whatever you need, just tell them that it's going to be released on time!" She smiled, glad he couldn't see her. He was great at writing and producing blockbusters, but he wasn't too great when it came to people. That's where the former white house press secretary came in handy. She handled all the premieres for him, handled writing his acceptance speeches at various awards shows, handled doing interviews for him for magazines. 

A few quick phone calls to some of the local papers and a few national ones and she had the reporters all scheduled for the next afternoon. She sighed. It's been a while since she'd done a press conference. She loved and hated them at the exact same time. She loved being up in front, giving the answers, bluntly, with her wry sense of humor, but she hated the memories they had. Every time when she got up, even with the knowledge of the new job, even knowing that this had nothing to do with the white house, she still looked to Danny's spot, she still look at that section near the back. 

The rest of the day passed quickly, as did the next morning. Even though she had the chance to go out and have a life, 5 out of 7 nights she would simply work out, eat dinner, and go to sleep. Friday and Saturday were her days to go out if she had a date, or sit in if she wanted to. Tomorrow, Friday, she had a feeling that it was going to be one of those nights that she would sit in. Press conferences had a tendency to wear her out these days. The toll on her emotions and the toll on her mind, having to answer questions from at least 25 reporters tired her. 

She found herself in the press room that next afternoon, preparing for the conference. The first reporters were starting to trickle in. One caused her breath to catch. Someone who looked exactly like Danny had just walked in; only they had no beard, and were undeniably a woman. The same curly red hair, fighting through the obvious attempt of straightening, the same round, youthful face, and the same blue-hazel eyes. She stood there gaping for a minute, before she composed herself. She made a point of introducing herself to each reporter, saving the Danny look alike for last. "CJ Cregg." She said extending her hand. 

"Doreen O'Shaungessy. I saw you looking at me earlier. Do I know you?" CJ could feel a slight blush creeping through her cheeks. 

"You look like someone I used to know." Doreen grinned. 

"I probably do. My entire family looks alike. Well, my mom's side at least. And half of us are reporters. You've probably met a cousin of mine or something."

"That's probably what happened."

"Yeah, there's hundreds of us, about 40 of us on my mom's side look exactly alike. George Lucas doesn't need fancy special effects for the next star wars movie. If he needs a clone army, just call up the Concannon clan, and there's forty of us." CJ swallowed hard. Concannon. That meant she was related to Danny. Well, it would explain their close looks. And her perceptive abilities. "So, which one of my cousins was it?" She said, noting CJ's expression. 

"What?" Doreen grinned at her. She even smiled like Danny. A vibrant, youthful grin. 

"Which one of my cousins did you fall for, and what happened with him?" CJ looked around and realized that most of the other reporters had showed up. 

"I have to go start the conference." Doreen kept grinning as CJ stalked away, introducing herself to a few other reporters before stepping up to the podium to let them all know that they were on schedule, despite the lead actor having a heart attack, and the fact that the budget had just doubled from 3 million dollars to 6 million. She fielded the few questions there were, mostly on the condition of John Goodman, then put the lid on the whole thing. She walked to the back where there were coffee and donuts, and poured herself a glass. It was then she was accosted by Doreen yet again. 

"So, are you going to tell me which one of my mom's nephews it was? Or are you going to reply the way you used to, 'no comment?'"

"I opt for no comment." Doreen grinned. 

"Fine, be that way, but I'm even more persuasive than my cousin, one certain former white house press correspondent." CJ almost choked on her coffee, stopping herself from spitting it in the other woman's face at only the last second. 

"Former?"

"Yes, he quit shortly after the Bartlet administration left office. He's now a freelance political author." CJ couldn't think of anything to respond with. "I'm sorry." Doreen said when she realized what had happened. "I shouldn't have brought him up." 

"It's fine." CJ lied. 

"No, it's not. I'll make it up to you, its 1 pm, have you had lunch? There's a great little place not to far from here." She nearly dragged CJ out from the building, only allowing CJ to shout to her secretary that she was going out to lunch. 


	2. 2

Lunch started off rather smoothly, in CJ's opinion. They talked about idle topics, TV, movies, the new blockbusters that were threatening Cosmic Nation. Then the conversation took a turn towards politics. It turned out that Doreen was a very liberal democrat. So liberal she made the former president look like a conservative. But even so, she still had good ideas, and solutions that Josh would have loved ha they known about Doreen when they were in office. "So, what was it like in there? Only time I was in there was aiding my cousin and a pollster write up some ratings thing, considering I knew more about ratings then either of them."  
  
"It was nice, hectic, but nice. I forgot how boring and stressful working for a production company was. But it pays better here."  
  
"I think the press corps got more than you guys did. Are they always falling asleep?"  
  
"Only if you catch them before their 8th cup of coffee." Doreen grinned that same grin that she showed all the time. Danny had a very similar one. She mentally cursed herself for thinking about Danny, and cursed herself again when she realized that Doreen had noticed.  
  
"I'm sorry, you're thinking about Danny again, aren't you?" CJ nodded, sipping on her wine. "I shouldn't have brought it up. You still care about him, don't you?" She nodded again, not trusting her voice. "If it makes you feel any better he drags himself to see even the sludge that Cosmic produces just because you help hype it." She smiled at that, but could feel the lump in her throat growing. Danny still wanted her. even after she turned him down and left. "But anyways, let's find a better topic. You still keep in touch with anyone from the white house?"  
  
"I see Sam around, he lives not too far, he's doing a great job as a congressman. I talk to Abbey every now and then, and last time I saw Toby, Andrea, j\Josh or Donna was at Josh and Donna's wedding."  
  
"Do you miss them? Miss the Whitehouse?" CJ grinned.  
  
"Is this lunch, or an interview?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm just used to asking questions."  
  
"And I'm used to answering them."  
  
"So what's the problem?" CJ shrugged.  
  
"I don't know. I guess I just still haven't adjusted to being out of there yet. After you spend 8 years somewhere, you kind of grow adjusted to it. I miss it. But I love having a life again."  
  
"If being a town mayor is anywhere near there than I feel your pain. I had no life outside politics for the few years I was mayor. Then I gave that up and became a media reporter. Love it even more."  
  
"You were a mayor?"  
  
"Of a small town in the middle of nowhere, New Jersey. A while ago. Now I have the world's best job. I get paid to watch movies." CJ laughed. As lunch came out, they returned to idle chatter about the movies, and what companies were going to prove the worst threat to Cosmic Nation. When the check came, they found themselves fighting over it.  
  
"It's MY treat, I'm the one who offered it, I pay."  
  
"No, I've got it, really."  
  
"No, you will not touch your purse or your wallet. It's mine." Finally, after almost five minutes of lighthearted bickering, they agreed to go dutch, although CJ finally gave in to Doreen's death glare about paying for CJ's half of the wine. They walked out to Doreens car, And Doreen started going back to the studio to drop her off. The topic once again turned to Danny.  
  
"How long has it been since you've seen Danny?" CJ knew that she was bringing this on herself, but she couldn't help it. She needed to know how he was.  
  
"It's been a while. I saw him briefly last year, but that was for maybe a few hours, I was stopping in DC for a flight. We email each other from time to time though." CJ nodded.  
  
"How is he?"  
  
"He's doing pretty good for himself. Some of his books have sold very well. Mostly biographies of senators and the ilk." The pulled up to the studio. "CJ, If you still care for him, I gaureentee you that if you call him, he'll grow wings and fly here himself." CJ laughed at that. "Been nice meeting you though, finally I get to see the one person I've seen so much on TV, and heard so much about from Danny." CJ returned that, and walked into the studio, her heart and mind in fierce competition. 


	3. 3

Doreen flopped down on her bed and picked up the phone. She dialed a number, and waited to hear the familiar voice on the other line. "Hey." He said. "How're you? Long time no talk to." Doreen laughed at his quirky humor. 

"Not much. But, you'll never believe who I just had lunch with."

"Some famous movie star? Wait, I can believe that, that's what you do for a living." She laughed again.

"No, but you're on the right track." 

"Who then?" He didn't like playing guessing games; he found them childish and stupid. But that was only when he was on the receiving end. He found it annoying when the same jokes he played got used on him. 

"A Miss CJ Cregg." There was dead silence on the other end of the line. She thought he had stopped breathing for a moment.

"Danny? Danny are you there?" He let out a long slow breath. 

"CJ? My CJ? Claudia Jean Cregg? Former White House press secretary, most beautiful woman in the world?"

"Short of me of course. No one's prettier than I am." Danny interjected an insult.  "If I could glare at you over the phone Red, I would. But yes, that CJ."

"How did you see her?" She knew that she had piqued his interest.

"At a little press conference concerning Cosmic Nation productions and how their new movie is coming to a grinding halt with John Goodman's heart attack."

"She does PR for them, doesn't she." It wasn't a question as much as it was a statement.

"Yes, she does." She knew what he wanted to ask her, but what he wouldn't. She knew there was one question that was nagging him, but she enjoyed toying with her favorite cousin. He was nearly a brother. And because of that she used the rule that a younger sibling is allowed to torture an elder one as much as they want. 

"What'd you talk about at lunch." She grinned. That was his way of asking if CJ had mentioned him at all. 

"A lot of stuff. Politics, certain former reporters, movies, weather, everything under the sun." It took him a moment before he processed what she had said.

"Certain former reporters? You mean me?"

"No, I mean Tom Brokaw. Who else do you think?"

"What did she say about me?" He sounded eager to know everything, but she could also hear the hint of pain in his voice. Her leaving had hit him hard. It had been why she had made sure to get a connecting flight in DC the last time she had seen him, to make sure that he was alright. But he was strong, he was a fighter, and she really didn't need to worry about him. But she did anyways; she had such strong maternal instinct. 

'Well…' she was purposely torturing him. As much as she loved him, she loved to toy with him as well. 'Not much."

  
"What did she say!?"

"Well, she asked how you were. And she seemed to still kind of want you…" she grinned as she heard his breath catch. 

"She did?" he sounded like a little kid who just opened up the gift he'd been begging for all year. She thought she almost heard him jumping up and down with glee. "She really acts like it?" his voice had taken on a cynical tone, the one he adopted whenever someone mentioned CJ. That tone that meant that he didn't want to be gullible anymore. The tone that tried to save him from being hurt. 

"I think so Danny-boy. She wanted to know a lot about how you've been. And she looked a little sad the first time I mentioned you, like she was kicking herself for what happened." 

"So she still wants me? She doesn't have someone else?" 

"If she does, she never mentioned them, nor did she have any sort of a ring on her hands. I think she'd have mentioned it if she had a serious boyfriend. I vote you come out here Danny."

"Why?" he questioned. She knew why. He didn't want to fly out only to be hurt. He didn't want to risk her not wanting him again. 

"Because your favorite cousin doesn't feel like flying out there to drag you out here." He laughed. But it was a forced laugh. 

"When?"

"Now would be good. Drink a few cans of red bull, save the cash you'd spend on a plane ticket."

"Red bull gives you wiiiiiiiings!" he said, imitating the commercial. 

"C'mon, just come here, soon? Please?" she was still able to make herself sound like she was a whiny 5 year old whenever she wanted to. And she knew that Danny couldn't resist when she did that. 

"Fine. But you can not MAKE me see CJ."

"Alright, I won't make you. Just come on out. I'll give you the tour of LA."

"Is LA even worth touring?"

"It's got more than DC. The people here are more well known." He chuckled, and they said their goodbyes. 


	4. 4

He looked over his suitcase one last time. Why was he bothering to do this? This was all his cousin's fault. They had been so close growing up, she was more a sister than a cousin. They had been nearly joined at the hip when they were younger. She was the original political correspondent. He followed in her footsteps. And he wound up being the better political one. She moved on to entertainment, which was her real love. She loved politics, and cared deeply about making a difference, but she cared more about what rich celebrities were doing what. She claimed it was so much more fun, that politics were too serious, too heavy for her now, and that she just wanted to have some fun being a reporter. 

He picked it up and headed out to his car. The entire drive to Dulles all he could think about was how idiotic he was to go through with this. He wanted to turn back, but something was stopping him. That something was CJ. He wanted to see her again; he wanted to know what there was between them. He wanted to see her again. He wanted to know that she was alright. He wanted to be able to prove that he still loved her, that he still wanted her, and that if she would just take him, he'd marry her on the spot. He never was exactly afraid of marriage, but he had never really pictured himself settled down with a wife and kids before he had met CJ. Now, things were different, he found himself able to picture himself coming home to children, helping them with their homework, exchanging loving glances with CJ. He still could. 

The entire plane ride, he alternated between kicking himself for going, and looking forward to what he was going to find. More importantly, who. But as the plane neared closer and closer to LA, he found the tension growing stronger and stronger. He didn't want to go. He wanted to turn back. He wanted to take the round trip ticket and use it as soon as he got off the airplane. But he knew his cousin wouldn't let him. he was forced to spend at least a week in LA. But at least his cousin promised that he wouldn't have to go see CJ. And Doreen usually kept her promises. 

Although knowing her, she'd probably set up something where they'd just 'happen' to run into each other. He wondered what CJ thought, if CJ knew that she was his cousin. He knew that she had asked about him, which meant that Doreen had told her that she knew him, although they didn't look _that_ much alike. They only had the same hair, the same eyes, and similar faces. Ok, so maybe they did look very much alike. His whole family did, they all had the same red hair, the same blue hazel eyes, and the same oval face. That must have been how CJ first noticed her, because she looked like him. 

As the plane touched down, he found himself twitching with fear and anxiety. He collected his carryon bag, not trusting the airports with his luggage, and walked out into the terminal to find Doreen waiting there. The biggest difference between the two of them looks wise was that Doreen had hair down to the middle of her back, held by a large ornate clip, while his hair fell in messy curls to the nape of his neck. She ran up to him and gave him a tight hug that left him gasping for breath. "Danny! You actually came!" she seemed overjoyed. He grinned and laughed.

"Of course I did, would I let down my cousin? I know what you can say about me. I count as a media target now that I write bestselling books.' 

"Bestselling?"

"Haven't you read today's NY times bestseller list?"

"Oh my god, Danny, that's wonderful! Congratulations!" Danny grinned, and followed her off towards her car. "It's so great to see you." 

"Great seeing you too. How's California treating you?"

"I love it here. The sun's great. You should move out here. You're too pale and pasty." Danny looked down at his pale skin and laughed. 

"I like being able to extra as a ghost." 

"Well Boo to you too." this was what he missed; he missed the funny, sarcastic exchanges between him and his cousin. He missed the ones between himself and CJ as well. They just clashed so well that they got along. It felt so natural to be near his cousin again. They had been so close when they were younger, and he felt like he was 16 again, chilling with one of his best friends in the world. His sister was one of the few people he could trust, and he had told her every detail of his life. She returned the favor. After what was almost a decade of drifting apart, it felt like old times again. 

He needed that. He needed to feel like he used to. He needed to get his mind off of CJ. If Doreen knew anything, it was how to distract someone. It was always one of the things that she did best. She was able to calm and comfort even the most distressed person. She claimed it was from her single year of nursing school. "Too much blood" she had claimed when she dropped out. She instead fell back on her major, journalism. She wound up loving it more than she ever liked anything along the lines of being a doctor. 

"So, Doreen, what's on the agenda, what famous places are you taking me to?" 

"Mann's Chinese theater work?"

"Sounds fun."

"First we have to stop by my office. It's semi-famous." She swung out onto Olympic boulevard, and pulled up in front of two large buildings. "Welcome," she said, gesturing around like a tour guide as she lead the way to the elevator, "to the century towers. Home of Doreen Concannon freelance media journalist. Also formerly home to Remington Steele Investigations."

"Thought this place looked familiar. James Bond before he made it." 

"Yeah, this place feels a lot homier when you're in it than when you see it on TV." 

"I can see how that can happen." She strode out of the elevator, and hung a left through a set of double glass doors, nodding to another woman sitting in the outer office. "Michelle, this is my cousin Danny, Danny, this is a reporter in training, Michelle." They shook hands, and Doreen lead the way into the back office. "Michelle's a lot better than she looks, but having someone below me in the outer office makes me look better." Danny laughed at his sisters selfishness, a selfishness he knew she needed in order to get anywhere in the world. "Anyways, just had to drop this thing off." She flopped a folder from her briefcase down on the desk, and picked up another two. 

Danny was busying himself looking around the office at all the photos hanging on the wall of Doreen with famous people. "Hey, Dode, who's that?" he said, gesturing to one photographed that seemed to draw the eye directly to it. 

"That," she said walking over to join him, "would be Robert Gleason, founding director of Cosmic Nation productions."  Danny almost cringed. His self control was the only thing that stopped it. Cosmic Nation, that was the firm that CJ worked for. And as far as he could see, Gleason had a lot more going for him than Danny did. He wasn't what you would call gorgeous but the man certainly had charisma. He had close cropped grey hair streaked with black, penetrating soulful brown eyes, and one of those carefree grins of a man who knew he could take on the world and win. He wondered if that charisma had ensnared CJ as well. 

"Cosmic Nation, eh?" Doreen knew exactly what Danny was implying by that simple sentence. 

"Yes, Cosmic Nation. Great little firm. Shame they're in such trouble with John Goodman though. Anyways, just had to stop in here for that, let's go." Danny gave one last glare at the photo before walking out with his cousin. 


	5. 5

She sat at the little diner, keeping an eye out for the car. She knew that Doreen would drag Danny here. She kept to the coffee bar though, not wanting to be seen by them. To extend the effect, she was wearing jeans and a loose shirt, reading over the newest script that Cosmic Nation had picked up to see how she could promote it. 

Suddenly, she saw it. The beat up green civic, with two passengers inside. She smiled a bit to herself, and took another sip of her espresso. There was no such thing as "just a coffee" in California. It was all gourmet. But she didn't mind, she liked it better than the plain, bland coffee that the white house would serve. 

She saw them walk in and get a table near her. She frowned slightly, but kept her eyes to her script, glancing over every now and then to see what was going on at the table so close to her, trying to get a glimpse of how the man she had wanted, the man she had given up, was fairing. 

She noticed that he hadn't changed a whole lot. He still had the red hair, better cut now, more tailored, less teenagerish. He wasn't wearing the suspenders she remembered him wearing. Rather, he was wearing a blazer over a shirt, and a nice pair of pants. He had slimmed down a lot from when she had last seen him, now was just slightly stocky rather than bordering on rotund. And now, he had a whole lot more charisma then he had had when he was just the lowly white house reporter. He carried himself much better now, he had an air of authority, an aurora of "don't mess with me" about him. 

There was no other way for her to describe other than, to put it short, he looked _good_. Now she was really beginning to hate herself for not going after him when she had the chance. Instead, she had wound up bouncing from relationship to relationship with various odd movie stars, directors, and producers, not caring about any of them. He was now an author, and according to that morning's Times, he had broken on to the bestselling list. She knew that he was good; she had picked up his books whenever she came across one. Now he was the man of her dreams, and she hated herself for letting her fish boy slip off the line. 

She looked up and noticed that she'd have to go past their table to go to the bathroom. She was the one to set this up with Doreen, she had told the other woman to take Danny here for lunch. Just so she could see him again. Now she began to feel herself chickening out. She didn't want to have to put up with him again. She didn't want to endure all he tortured her, with how much she wanted him, how much he used to want her. As much as Doreen told her otherwise, she knew that he hadn't been celibate the entire time. Sure, he may still want her, but how could she know for sure?

The only way she could find out is if she made sure she was noticed. Then, as if by blind luck, she heard her cell phone go off rather loudly. She jumped as it broke her reverie, and flipped it open. "CJ." She responded as she moved towards the door out of common courtesy. She could feel Danny's eyes on her, and she noticed his jaw slack with amazement. "Yeah Rob?" she said, glad for her boss's interruption. She listened to the tenor, almost raspy voice on the other end of the line.

"CJ, can you come in now? We need all hands on deck." 

"What's up Robbie?" She could picture him cringing. He hated being called Robbie, hated Rob as well, preferred Bob, or just his last name. But CJ and a few others could get away with calling him that. Mostly any high level executive or a close friend of his. And CJ could do no wrong in Robert's eyes. 

"Well, our star can't finish our movie, and the rest of the crew is threatening to back out of this because we're short one John Goodman."

"What happened?"

"Well…" she could hear him take a sharp, deep breath. "He died, this morning, from a secondary heart attack." CJ cursed under her breath. But she couldn't help but feel sorry for her boss. He was just younger than she was, and he and John had gotten on so well. 

"I'll be in as soon as I can, just need to pay for my coffee." She told him, and hung up, going back inside and paying her tab, almost forgetting about Danny. Almost being the operative word. As she was walking out, he accosted her and she found herself talking to him rather willingly. 

"CJ?" he questioned, almost in disbelief. 

"Danny?" she questioned back. "Daniel Concannon, former geeky white house reporter?" she checked.

"Did you really think me geeky?" she laughed, and he joined in. 

"Yes, I did." she gave him a hug. "It's great to see you. What did your cousin have to do to drag you out here?"

"Threaten to bash my new rep as a best seller." All as they were talking, she was crossing the parking lot to her car. 

"Hey, I have to go back to the studio, I'll catch you later?" She could see the disappointment in his eyes. "Not my fault Danny, our star just kicked the bucket." Danny nodded, but she could tell that it wasn't enough for him. "Tell ya what, how about you and me catch up on what we've been doing the past two years at the bar later? Work for you?" He nodded again. CJ pulled out a piece of paper and scrawled a number on it. "That's my cell, call me later, we can meet up." He grinned at that. 

"It was great seeing you again Ceej." She smiled back.

"Great seeing you too." although she never showed it, she was quite apprehensive about what was to come later. She climbed into her car, and set off in the direction of the studio. 


End file.
